Firearm holster



D. BOYT FIREARM HOLSTER iled Jan. 2, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 NVENTOR. Ham/20 0. B0y7' B2 M M 4 ra /vans,

R. D. BOYT FIREARM HOLSTER Dec. 5, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 2, 1959 6 r H m N m m W w 7 mm m MM United States Patent 3,011,687 FIREARM HOLSTER Richard D. Boyt, Des Moines, Iowa, assignor to The Boyt Company, Des Moines, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Filed Jan. 2, 1959, Ser. No. 784,492 1 Claim. (Cl. 224-2) This invention relates generally to a firearm holster adapted for pistols, revolvers, and the like, and more particularly to an improved holster wherein a novel retaining strap arrangement permits the placement of the strap in a plurality of different positions relative to the pistol being held in the holster.

A retaining strap is a part of a holster, the prime purpose of which is to secure a pistol in the holster. The particular manner in which the pistol is held by the strap, however, is subject to varying circumstances. For example, should the user desire maximum security or safety as to the pistol when he is or may become extremely active in physical movement, or when he is traveling on foot across overgrown terrain, the strap should be passed over the hammer of the pistol to protect the same from accidental discharge. A different position of the strap, wherein it is over the trigger guard of the pistol is best when some security is desired, but where the ability of the user to quickly draw the pistol with a minimum of interference by the strap is of more importance. In other instances, a third position may be desired if the user wants the strap completely out of the way of the pistol so as to in no way obstruct the drawing of the weapon.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a holster for use with a pistol, revolver, or the like wherein the retaining strap for securing the pistol in place in the holster is positionable over either the trigger guard or the hammer.

Another object of this invention is to provide a holster wherein the retaining strap may be passed over the hammer of the pistol being held, regardless of the grip modification of the pistol.

A further object of this invention is to provide a holster with a retaining strap wherein the strap may be positioned so that it in no way contacts the pistol held in the holster and is completely hidden from view while the holster is in use.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a holster embodying the aforementioned objects and which is economical to manufacture, rugged in service, and effective in use.

These objects, and other features and advantages will become more fully apparent by reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the firearm holster of this invention, showing the retaining strap in one moved position therefor;

FIG. 2 is a reduced side elevational view of the holster with the back flap in a raised, unfolded position disclosing the slot through which the retaining strap is usually extended, with parts broken away for clarity;

FIG. 3 is a reduced, sectional view taken along the line 33 in FIG. 1, wherein the back flap and the retaining strap are in snapped positions;

FIG. 4 is a reduced, fragmentary view similar to FIG. 3, but showing the back flap in an unsnapped position, and with the retaining strap reversed upon itself;

FIG. 5 is a reduced fragmentary rear elevational view, wherein the strap is arranged to the outside of the holster pocket, with parts broken away for clarity; and

FIG. 6 is a reduced, side elevational view of the holster, illustrated similar to FIG. 1 and having a pistol inserted therein, and showing the retaining strap in solid lines in ice a hammer locking position, and in dotted lines in a trigger guard position.

Referring to the drawings and particularly FIG. 1, the holster of this invention is indicated generally at 16 and is formed in the main from a single blank of heavy, firm, waxed impregnated leather. The blank is cut so as to include a front wall 11, a rear wall 12, and a rear or back flap 13 which is an extension of the rear wall 12. The front and rear walls are folded at 14 and their outer edges are secured together in any suitable manner, preferably by stitching at 15 to form a pocket 20 (FIG. 1) for a pistol 16 (FIG. 6). By the particular configuration of the walls 11 and 12 which follows the contour of the pistol 16 for which the holster 10 is intended, it is seen that a tailored effect for the pistol is obtained.

A welt 17 (FIGS. 1 and 3) may be inserted and secured by the stitching 15 between the upper outer edges of the walls so as to provide a tapered trigger guard. By folding down the back flap 13 at the junction 18 between the flap and the rear wall 12, a belt-receiving loop having an opening 19 (FIG. 3) is formed. A strap 21 (FIG. 2) is secured by rivets 22 to the outer end 23 of the back flap 13 for securing the end 23 down to the body of the holster. A conventional snap fastening device 24 is provided for this purpose. Of note, when the back flap 13 is folded down (FIG. 1), the junction or fold 18 forms, with the free upper edge 25 of the rear wall 12, the rear upper edge 25 of the pocket 24). The front upper edge 35 of the pocket is formed by the irregular upper edge of the front wall 11. The front and rear upper edges 35 and 25 thus define the sides of an elongated open top 29 of the pocket 20.

An elongated, relatively narrow retaining strap 26 (FIGS. 2 and 3) is movably secured at one end 30 by a rivet 27 to the outer or rear side of back flap 13. The rivet 27 is located approximately half-way across the width of the back fiap 13, or at its midpoint, and closely adjacent the fold 18 (FIGS. 2 and 3). To permit the free portion of the strap 26 to be passed through the back flap 13, a slot 28 (FIG. 2) is formed substantially along the fold 18 (FIG. 3). The slot 28 (FIG. 2) is generally curved in a concave manner relative to the rivet 27 and extends laterally beyond the rivet on both sides thereof. One side 28" of the slot extends substantially along the junction or fold line 18, indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 2, to form a portion of the rear upper edge 25 of the pocket 20. The other side 28" of the slot 28 is curved radially about the center of the rivet 27 such that its periphery is contiguous at one portion with the central portion of the side 28' when the back flap 13 is in its unfolded position shown in FIG. 2. As best appears in FIG. 5, on folding of the back flap 13, the slot 28 is at a slight incline transversely of the junction 18. The arcuate length of the slot is predetermined in that, depending on the width of the strap 26, the strap is free to swivel about the rivet 27 through approximately a ninety degree are across the face of the holster 10 (FIG. 2). In the present embodiment, the length of the slot 28 is approximately twice the width of the strap 26.

Having passed the strap 26 through the slot 28 whereby it is in the position of FIG. 2, the free end 31 of the strap is attachable to the front of the holster by means of a snap fastener device 32. The stationary part 32' of the device 32 is secured to the outer side of the upper widened front wall portion 33 at a location approximately in alignment with the rivet 27 longitudinally of the holster relative to the straight edge 14 formed by the fold 14. Thus, by securing the strap 26 in the aforesaid manner, the strap forms a loop (FIGS. 1 and 3) which extends transversely across the open top 29 of the pocket 20, and which is pivotally movable longitudinally of the top 29 in an arc of approximately ninety degrees, with the rivet 27 and the fastening device 32 acting as pivots.

In use, assuming the holster is being worn by the user in the normal manner; with the strap unsnapped, a pistol 16 or the like (FIG. 6) is inserted into the holster until a snug fit is obtained. The particular pistol 16 illustrated herein is provided with a hammer 34 at a location common to all pistols, and, as the pistol 16 has a conventional grip, its trigger guard 36 is exposed in its entirety. It may readily be seen, therefore, that the strap 26 may be looped over either the hammer 34, as shown in full lines in FIG. 6, or over the trigger guard 36, as shown in dotted lines in FIG; 6. Should the pistol be of a type wherein the grip is unconventional or modified in a manner to merge with the trigger guard 36, the capability of the strap 26 to. be looped over the hammer of this type pistol is unimpaired.

Should the user desire to remove the strap 26 from either pistol retaining position, the strap may be placed behind the rear wall 12 of the holster and held there by means of the flap 13 (FIG. 5). To accomplish such placement, after unsnapping the back flap 13 (FIG. 4), the free end 31 of the strap 26 is unsnapped at 32 and inserted through the slot 28, whereby the strap is reversed upon itself to form a reverse loop 37 (FIG. 4). Having shoved the end 31 through the slot 28 a sufficient amount so that the element 32 has passed through the slot (FIG. 4), the end 31 may be grasped by the fingers and pulled away from the slot 28 until the entire strap 26 has been pulled therethrough to a position between the back flap 13 and the rear wall 12.

The strap 26 may then be retained against the outer side of the rear wall 12 in a position shown in FIG. 5 by resnapping the back flap in place by means of the strap 21. In this position, the strap 26 is not visible from the front of the holster 10.

To relocate the strap 26 from itsposition in FIG. 5 to that of FIG. 2, the strap 21 is unsnapped so as to free the back flap and the free end 31 of the strap 26 is inserted through the slot 28 and toward the front of the holster, the strap being reversed upon itself. Again, when the end 31 has been forced back through the slot so that the fastening element 32 has also been forced therethrough, the end 31 may be grasped by the fingers and pulled away from the slot until the strap 26 is in the position of FIG. 2.

Although one embodiment of the invention has been disciosed herein, it is particularly noted that the invention pertains to a product of leather or like material which is manufactured in a variety of slightly varying embodiments in order to service a like variety of hand firearms. It is intended, therefore, that various modifications and changes may obviously be resorted to without departing rom the full scope of .the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

A firearm holster for holding a conventional pistol which has a hammer and a trigger guard, comprising a front wall and a rear Wall forming a pocket therebetween which is open at one end and in which thepistol is receivable, said rear wall including a flap portion extending beyond the open end of the pocket and joined at one end thereof with said rear wall adjacent said opening and foldable at the junction with said rear wall to position the outer side of said extended flap portion, face to face with the outer side of said rear Wall, means for maintaining the flap portion in the folded condition, an elongated slot formed along said junction at substantially the middle of the one end of said flap portion, a connecting means on the outer side of said flap portion at a location thereon so as to face said rear wall and centered relative to said slot, and an elongated retaining strap pivotally attached at one end to said connection, said slot having a length at least twice the width of said strap and curved slightly concave relative to said connection, said strap, from said one end, being insertable through said slot and passable transversely across said open end for the detachable con-' nection of the other end thereof to the outer side of said front wall wherebyto form a loop over said open end, whereby in said loop formation the strap is movable relative to the end connections thereof in approximately a ninety degree are longitudinally of and through said slot, wherein at the ends of the are said strap is movable to a looped position either over the hammer or the trigger guard of the pistol.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 668,382 Martin Feb. 19, 1901 1 ,230,043 Shelton June 12, 1917 1,696,708 Brauer Dec. 25, 1928 2,297,008 McMillan Sept. 29, 1942 2,765,968 Gaylord Oct. 9, 1956 

